Wichita eagle., 1887-05-25
aailSR eagle
REPUBLICANlSM IN ENGLAND.
The Queen as a Figure Head-A Tory
Frank Admission.Taxatio

The Queen as a Figure Head-A Tory's
Frank Admission.Taxation.
ssEngland is a republic in everything
but mere name" said a prominent bust
ness man IA Tory to me the other day.
''The people rule here more than in the
United States. Our government is more
sensitive to the influence Of public opinion
than yours. We simply have perpetual
chief executive, that is all That is better
than your way of constant change. 1t
costs no more to sustain our royal family
than it does you to pay your president,
when you reckon the cost of your presi-
Dental elections. Your pension list ex-
ceeds the cost of our army. 1 think you
will find our form of government as
economical as yours, while, to come to my
main point, it is more of a republic, in
that the will of the people has more con-
troll than in the United States"
"What influence has the queen upon the
administration Of affairs?"
"None at all She might have; she has
the authority to veto acts Of parliament,
but she never does. l think it would be
great advantage to us to have a king
with a clear head and determined mind,
who would, upon proper occasions, veto
acts of parliament That would be wise
check upon the unlimited power of the
house of commons. 1t selects the men,
bers of the cabinet and the queen merely
registers its decree. The house Of COM
mons is the administration.
''Does the house of lords act as check
upon the house?"
"Only to the extent of making it at
times exercise deliberate second thought.
The house Of lords may reject a house
bill, but it has never been known to stand
out against a measure that the house OF
commons insists upon"
This Tory gentleman may be right
about certain features of advantage about
the English form of government, but a
close examination will show that the adj
vantages are not all ON his side. However
Influential public sentiment may be in
England, it is very slow to awaken. 1t is
harder to bring about change of any
kind in England and secure the adoption
of anything new than in any country in
the world. The laws there for many CEN
turtles have been made in the interests of
the rich and the property owners, and to
secure a change in these laws is now as
difficult as if they were not oppressive to
the majority. For instance, one of the
most notable cases of this kind of legisla-
ton was called to my mind the other day
during visit to gentleman who owns a
place in the country. 1t is not very far
out of London, through stretch of coun-
try which has been built up with suburban
houses to great extent during the last
five years. This reaching out Of the city
in his direction has made fortunes for
many owners of land. But it has brought
the greatest profits to those who have
done the least to secure the improve
ments. The laws are SO shaped as to dis
courage improvement. Property unim-
proved is not taxed But the moment an
owner begins to improve that property,
whether by building or cultivation, the
tax collector begins to hammer at his
door. In this very neighborhood titled
land owner held large piece of property,
upon which he had nothing but shoot
Ing box. He left his ground untouched
and so escaped taxation, while the taxed
people built up about him, increasing the
value of his untaxed property fiftyfold.-
London Cor. New York World